Looking for practical Sango to Acholi phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Sango phrase first, then the Acholi translation (Acholi) — so you can scan quickly before a trip, class, or video call.
The phrases are grouped into eight topics: greetings and pleasantries, useful phrases for travellers, everyday conversation, directions and getting around, shopping and dining, emergencies and health, work and business, and time, days and numbers. Use the table of contents to jump straight to greetings, directions, dining, emergencies, or numbers. You do not need perfect grammar to start — short, clear sentences often work better than silence when you are learning Acholi.
Tip: when a Acholi phrase looks unfamiliar, compare it with the Sango wording — noticing word order differences helps you understand grammar naturally.
Bookmark this page for offline review, share it with a travel buddy, or open the Sango to Acholi translator to paste your own messages and get an instant translation.
Greetings and pleasantries
Hello, goodbye, please, thank you, and polite introductions for meeting new people.
Mbote
Ayo(ah-yo)
Mokolo
Naki(nah-kee)
Mbote na nganga
Bok moti(bok mo-tee)
Mbote na nganga ya zanga
Bok nongo(bok non-go)
Mbote na nganga ya sika
Bok obedo(bok oh-beh-do)
Ndeko na nganga
Bok ngat(bok ngat)
Tango na yo
Tye kany(tye kan-yee)
Ayo
Itye(ee-tye)
Nani na yo?
Iti ma ineno?(ee-tee mah ee-neh-no)
Nani na nga John
Ineno John(ee-neh-no John)
Oza malamu?
Iti ma inyo?(ee-tee mah een-yo)
Mokili na yo
Gat ma inyo(gaht mah een-yo)
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
O yo na nganga English?
Itye konyo English?
O na yo na nganga Hindi na mboka.
Nye konyo Hindi kanyim.
O na yo na mboka.
Nye neno.
Sokou, yo na nganga na mboka.
Nye konyo tye kanyim.
O tanga na mboka?
Itye konyo tye kanyim?
Banga na yo na ndako?
Iti kanyim ngat?
Nde na yo na banga na mboka?
Nye konyo kanyim ku city center?
Kanga na mboko.
Konyo kuc.
Kanga na nganga.
Konyo kuc.
Kende na mboka.
Tye kanyim.
Nde na yo na mboka?
Iti kanyim ngat?
Mokolo na ticket, sokou.
One ticket, please.
O na mboka na mboka?
Iti kanyim kanyim?
O na yo na mboka.
Nye konyo.
Banga na yo na tanga SIM card?
Iti kanyim ngat SIM card?
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
O
Aye
Té
Bila
Sâ
Kweyo
Ngâ tî
Ng'ato konyo
Ngâ té tî
Ng'ato konyo ni
O bô
Okwero kany
Nâ tî yé?
Ika kany?
O kâ yé tî?
Ikwok kany?
Ngâ kâ tî
Ng'ato konyo kany
Bê na
Tye kany
Ngâ tî na
Ng'ato konyo
Té bô
Bila kany
Mâ tî
Tye kany
Mâ na mbâ
Aye konyo
O kâ na mbê
Tye kany ma ng'ato
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
O na wâ na gare?
Atye kany kwo?(Atye kany kwo?)
O na wâ na station de taxi?
Atye kany bura?(Atye kany bura?)
O na wâ na plateforme?
Kati onyo kwo?(Kati onyo kwo?)
O na tî na mbô?
Nye kwo nongo?(Nye kwo nongo?)
O na wâ na yâ?
Kik kwo gwen?(Kik kwo gwen?)
O na bô na kâ.
Okwang kany ici(Okwang kany ici)
O na fâ na kâ.
Okwang kany piny(Okwang kany piny)
O kâ tî na mappa?
Nye konyo i map?(Nye konyo i map?)
Kâ na kâ, s'il vous plaît.
Doko ici, pe?(Doko ici, pe?)
O na tî na mbô?
Nye kwo ngat?(Nye kwo ngat?)
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
Mboka na yo?
Nye keken me?(Nye keken me?)
Oko na mboka mingi
Okwero keken(Okwero keken)
Ozo na nanga mboka?
Itye keken me?(Itye keken me?)
Naka na yeke na carte?
Nye konyo kadi?(Nye konyo kadi?)
Naka na table ya mibale
Nye tye kany kwo(Nye tye kany kwo)
Bilan, s'il vous plaît
Kaka, nyinga(Kaka, nyinga)
Service ezali na yango?
Kati kany me?(Kati kany me?)
Nani na mboka ya nyama
Nye konyo wot(Nye konyo wot)
Te na mabele ya sika, s'il vous plaît
Kati wot kany, nyinga(Kati wot kany, nyinga)
Oyo ezali malamu
Iti kany(Iti kany)
Naka na menu?
Nye konyo kadi me?(Nye konyo kadi me?)
Bokoko ya mai, s'il vous plaît
Kadi me kic, nyinga(Kadi me kic, nyinga)
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Banga nganga
Yat ma police
Banga ambulance
Yat ma ambulance
Mbi na doctor
Nye konyo doctor
Mbi na yeke
Nye konyo wot
Mbi na alerji na kolo
Nye konyo kany kic
A na hospital ya mboka?
Kati ki hospital ma kany?
E yeke na mboko
Okwero ineno
Mbi tanga passport na ngai
Nye tye konyo passport
O tanga hotel na ngai?
Okwero yat ma hotel amoni?
Sango!
Yat!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Mbi na yo
Nye kany me(Nye kany me)
Tala na yeke mboka
Dano kany oting(Dano kany oting)
Nani ti na yo?
Nye kany ma kany?(Nye kany ma kany?)
Nde na yeke report na tî
Ngatye kany report kany(Ngatye kany report kany)
Oka na yeke na lobi?
Nye kany ma kany tye?(Nye kany ma kany tye?)
S'il vous plaît, tî na file na mî
Nye kany ma file kany(Nye kany ma file kany)
Mesi na yo na tî
Atye kany ma kany(Atye kany ma kany)
Nde na tî na yeke na yo
Nye kany ma kany kany(Nye kany ma kany kany)
Oka na yeke na sî na tî?
Nye kany ma kany tye?(Nye kany ma kany tye?)
Tala na yeke na yo
Dano kany ma kany(Dano kany ma kany)
Nani na lobi na vendredi
Kany kany Friday(Kany kany Friday)
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.